THE  DUTY  OF  THE  CHURCH 


TO 

EVANGELIZE  THE  WORLD 


WITH  TOE 


MEANS  AND  MOTIVES  FOR  THE  WORK. 


THE  DUTY  OF  THE  CHURCII  TO  EVANGELIZE  THE  WORLD,  WITH 
THE  MEANS  AND  MOTIVES  FOR  THE  WORK. 


SERMON 

PREACHED  FOR  THE  BOARD  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS 

OF  THE 

Irtslijtfrian  € f nv t Ij 


OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA, 

MLA.Y  6.  1866, 

IN  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH,  UNIVERSITY  PLACE,  NEW  YORK. 


BY  THE 

REV.  CYRUS  DICKSON,  D.  D., 

OF  BALTIMORE,  Md. 


yuiliBtjcS  at  0)t  rcqurst  of  t f)t  ffiictutibt  (Committer. 


NEW  YORK : 

MISSION  HOUSE,  No.  23  CENTRE  STREET. 

1866. 


SERMON. 


“ Whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved,  llow  then  shall  they 
call  on  him  in  whom  they  have  not  believed  ? and  how  shall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom 
they  have  not  heard?  and  how  shall  they  hear  without  a preacher  ? And  how  shall  they 
preach  except  they  be  sent.” — Romans  x : 13-15. 

The  text  is  a part  of  Paul’s  defense  of  the  cause  of  Mis- 
sions. The  Jews  objected  to  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  to 
the  Gentiles.  Regarding  themselves  as  the  peculiar  people 
of  God,  they  imagined  that  the  Gentile  must,  in  some  way, 
become  a Jew  in  order  to  salvation.  They  exhibited  dissatis- 
faction at  any  efforts  to  evangelize  them,  and  sometimes,  in- 
deed, were  willing  to  resist  it  even  unto  blood. 

In  this  Epistle  the  Apostle,  having  shown  the  lost  estate  by 
nature  and  practice  of  the  Gentile,  and  the  equally  hopeless 
condition  of  the  Jew,  and  his  deeper  and  more  deserved  con- 
demnation, for  resisting  the  light  and  refusing  the  mercy  and 
grace  of  God,  declares  that  both  Jew  and  Gentile — that  is, 
the  whole  race,  are  guilty  before  God,  and  stand  in  unanswer- 
ing silence  convicted  and  condemned  at  His  judgment-seat. 

He  then  opens  up  the  glorious  way  of  salvation  through 
the  incarnation,  substitution,  sufferings,  sacrificial  death  and 
resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  God’s  only  begotten 
and  well-beloved  Son — how  God  can  now  be  just  and  yet 
justify  the  ungodly ; how,  having  borne  our  sins  in  His  own 
body  on  the  tree,  suffering  the  just  in  the  place  of  the  unjust, 
He  can  bring  us  nigh  to  God  ; that  God  so  loved  the  world  as 
to  give  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  on 
Him  might  not  perish  but  have  eternal  life ; that  Christ  of 
God  is  made  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification,  and 


4 


THE  DUTY  OF  THE  CHURCH 


redemption  to  every  one  that  belie  veth  ; that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  or  calleth  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved,  for 
with  God,  as  between  Jew  and  Gentile,  there  is  no  difference, 
for  He  is  rich  in  mercy  to  all  that  call  upon  Him  ; that  this 
Gospel  of  the  grace  of  God  was  intended,  not  for  the  Jew 
alone,  but  for  the  race — that  it  is  a universal  religion,  unre- 
stricted by  nation,  or  language,  or  condition,  or  color,  or  coun- 
try. 

He  assigns  the  Fatherhood  of  God,  the  common  origin  and 
guilt  and  ruin  of  the  race,  the  complete  adaptation  of  the 
Gospel  to  all,  as  some  of  the  reasons  why,  regardless  of  Jew- 
ish passion  and  prejudice,  these  glad  tidings  should  be  preached 
to  every  creature  and  to  every  age.  Nay,  he  denounces  the 
expulsion,  for  long  generations,  of  the  Jews  from  the  pale  of 
the  Church  because  of  their  rejection  of  this  Gospel,  and  re- 
fusal to  communicate  it  freely  to  the  nations,  and  predicts  that, 
after  the  “ fullness  of  the  Gentiles  shall  be  brought  in,”  the 
conversion  of  both  Jew  and  Gentile  shall  vindicate  its  univer- 
sal fitness. 

The  same  great  truths  demonstrate  our  duty  and  enforce  our 
obligation  to  evangelize  the  world.  The  demonstration  needs 
perpetual  repetition,  for  the  Church  seems  to  have  fallen  into 
the  same  mistaken  sentiment  as  the  Jew,  for  although  eight- 
een centuries  have  passed  away,  yet  there  still  remain  more 
heathen  to-day  than  there  were  inhabitants  in  the  world  at 
the  time  of  the  Incarnation.  Blessed  with  the  light  of  the 
Gospel,  she  often  acts  as  if  it  were  exclusively  her  own,  and 
sitting  at  her  ease  and  satisfied  with  her  blessings,  leaves 
countless  millions  to  perish  in  darkness.  She  needs  to  be  re- 
minded perpetually  that  her  God  is  the  God  and  Father  of 
all  ; that  her  Saviour  is  the  Saviour  for  all ; that  his  invita- 
tion— the  invitation  which  she  is  commissioned  and  command- 
ed to  repeat  — is,  “ Whosoever regardless  of  condition  or 
color  or  country,  whosoever  calls  upon  the  Lord  shall  be  saved  ! 
That  having  provided  a universal  religion , He  demands  its 
universal  extension,  and  being  rich  in  mercy  to  all  that  call 


TO  EVANGELIZE  THE  WORLD. 


5 


upon  Him,  He  requires  tlie  Church  to  communicate  to  all  the 
nations  the  knowledge  of  His  being  and  the  freeness  and  full- 
ness of  His  grace. 

For  how  can  they  call  upon  Him  in  whom  they  have  not 
believed  ? How  can  they,  in  their  sins  and  sorrows  and  igno- 
rance, call  upon  Him  for  help,  of  whose  love  and  grace,  of 
whose  willingness  and  power  to  save  the  guilty  and  the  lost 
they  know  nothing  ? And  without  this  knowledge  they  must 
perish  ! How  shall  they  know  of  His  mercy  and  grace  unless 
the  Church  preaches  to  them  these  glad  tidings  ot  the  blessed 
God?  This  is  the  ordained  way,  “by  the  foolishness  of 
preaching,”  to  enlighten,  evangelize  and  save  the  race.  Hence 
the  ascending  command  of  her  King  and  Saviour,  “ Go  ye  into 
all  the  world  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature .”  And 
in  view  of  the  greatness  of  the  work,  and  the  weariness  and 
worldliness  and  weakness  of  His  people,  adds : “ Lo,  I am 
with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.” 

How  can  these  preachers  go,  unless  sent  and  supported  by 
God,  and  sent  and  supported  by  His  people  ? In  this  great 
work  God  is  the  worker,  and  His  people  are  honored  to  co- 
work with  Him.  Exalted  privilege,  divine  communion  be- 
tween the  Church  and  her  glorious  Head  ! 

The  part  of  the  Lord  Jesus  is  to  supply  the  gifts,  the  means, 
the  instrumentalities.  The  part  of  the  Church  is  to  employ 
them.  These  are  amongst  His  great  ascension  gifts,  for  “ he 
gave  to  some  apostles,  and  some  prophets,  and  some  evan. 
gelists,  that  is,  missionaries , and  some  pastors  and  teachers, 
for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ.  In  all  ages  of  the 
Church  He  has  supplied  her  with  ample  means  for  her  ap- 
pointed work.  He  never  reaps  where  He  has  not  sown,  and 
when  He  appoints  the  work  He  supplies  the  workers. 

Without  dwelling  on  past  times  or  resources,  is  it  not  true 
that  the  Church  of  the  present  generation  has  had  men  and 
means  and  opportunities  enough,  if  properly  and  faithfully 
employed,  to  evangelize  the  world  within  the  generation  ? 


6 


THE  DUTY  OF  THE  CHURCH 


Miglit  not  the  Gospel  have  been  proclaimed  so  as  that  every 
tribe  and  tongue  of  the  race  could  have  heard  the  joyful 
sound?’  Did  not  the  primitive  Christians,  with  greater  obsta- 
cles to  surmount,  succeed  in  testifying  for  Christ  to  the  whole 
world  in  the  life-time  of  the  apostles  ? . It  is  true  they  had  the 
“ gift  of  tongues but  have  we  not  the  printing-press,  equal 
to  more  than  many  times  the  gift  of  tongues  in  its  ability  to 
multiply  the  Word?  If  they  had  not  so  many  continents 
and  islands  to  visit,  our  facilities  for  easy  and  rapid  intercom- 
munication more  than  equalizes  the  increased  extent  of  the 
field. 

Consider  the  membership  of  the  Church — their  qualifica- 
tions as  to  talent,  education  and  numbers;  devoted  to  enter- 
prises of  commerce  encircling  the  globe ; to  learning,  filling 
every  department  of  statesmanship,  science,  literature  and  art, 
and  but  little  doubt  will  exist  of  her  ability,  as  to  men,  to 
have  evangelized  the  world,  so  that  to-night,  instead  of  meet- 
ing to  hear  from  the  Board  of  the  difficulty  and  discourage- 
ment of  reinforcing  our  few  and  feeble  outposts  among  the 
heathen,  we  might  have  met  to  rejoice  with  praise  and  thanks- 
giving over  the  universal  dissemination  of  this  Gospel. 

As  to  means  to  send  and  support  this  preaching,  the  Saviour 
has  filled  the  Church  to  overflowing.  ' Look  at  the  immense 
wealth  in  Christian  hands — for  the  active  wealth  of  the  world 
is  either  largely  in  the  possession  or  under  the  control  of  Pro- 
testant Christians — wealth  enough  to  educate,  send  forth  and 
support  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  earnest  and  de- 
voted men  and  women,  to  impart  to  all  nations  the  Way  of 
Life. 

As  to  opportunities  to  labor,  whatever  may  be  said  of  for- 
mer times,  we  affirm  that  now  the  whole  world  is  open  to  the 
Gospel.  The  walls  of  China  have  fallen  and  opened  her  four 
hundred  millions  to  our  compassion.  India  and  Japan,  Thi- 
bet and  Tartary,  Arabia  and  Persia,  the  followers  of  the  false 
Prophet  everywhere,  Africa  and  the  islands  of  the  sea — all 


TO  EVANGELIZE  THE  WORLD. 


7 


lauds,  pagan  and  papal,  are  accessible  to  our  works  of  faith 
and  labors  of  love. 

Has  the  Church,  to  her  utmost,  employed  these  vast  re- 
sources of  men  and  means  and  opportunities , entered  these 
“ great,  doors  and  effectual,”  notwithstanding  the  many  adver- 
saries? Constrained  by  the  love  of  Christ  to  judge  that  He 
died  for  all,  because  all  were  dead,  and  that  lie  thus  died  for 
all  that  they  who  live  should  not  henceforth  live  unto  them- 
selves, but  for  Him  who  died  for  them,  has  she  consecrated 
her  sous  and  improved  her  opportunities  of  turning  the  world 
unto  God  ? Alas  ! what  tribes  and  nations  and  empires  still 
sit  in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death  ! How  few  and  feeble 
and  uninterrupted  the  efforts  to  bring  them  to  the  obedience 
of  Christ ! How  unbelieving  still  is  the  Church  and  how  lit- 
tle in  sympathy  with  the  plans  and  purposes,  the  counsels  and 
covenants  of  her  risen  and  exalted  King  ! 

Our  own  branch  of  Zion,  though  by  no  means  behind  her 
sister  denominations,  has  not  distinguished  her  devotion  to 
this  great  work  as  she  should.  More  than  twelve  hundred  of 

O 

our  churches  have  given  nothing  during  the  past  year  for  the 
conversion  of  the  Pagan  world.  The  1,380  contributing 
ones  have  given  only  including  legacies  $165,170, — $220,000 
less  than  a single  elder  reports  as  “ annual  income  ” for  the 
purpose  of  Government  revenue  ! The  entire  contributions 
of  all  our  twenty-seven  hundred  churches  to  all  objects,  at 
home  and  abroad,  are  less  than  the  annual  personal  income 
of  the  membership  in  many  of  our  congregations  ! 

There  is,  saith  Jehovah,  that  withholdeth  more  than  is 
meet,  and  it  tendeth  to  poverty.  May  not  the  great  judg- 
ments through  which  the  Church  and  nation  are  passing  have 
been  sent,  among  other  purposes,  to  rebuke  our  want  of  com- 
passion for  these  perishing  millions.  We  were  so  anxious 
about  the  health  and  worldly  success  of  our  sons  as  to  with- 
hold them  from  the  real  or  imaginary  disease  and  dangers  of 
Heathen  lands,  and  yet  250,000,  at  least,  perished  from  sick- 
ness and  exposure  alone  during  the  war — a number  many  times 


8 


THE  DUTY  OF  THE  CHURCH 


greater  than  ever  sent  from  this  continent  to  convert  the  out- 
side world ! A talented  and  promising  young  man  was 
thought  to  be  “ throwing  himself  away  ” in  going  as  a mis- 
sionary, and  the  means  as  next  to  lost,  sent  to  support  the 
missions.  Now,  a million  of  the  young  men  of  the  land  either 
sleep  in  bloody  graves,  slain  in  fratricidal  strife  or  overcome 
by  the  hardships  of  camp  and  field,  or  wander  wounded  and 
disabled  for  life ! How  many  of  this  great  multitude  were 
pious,  educated,  talented,  qualified  “to  teach  the  nations.” 

Do  not  these  great  and  dreadful  judgments  practically  ex- 
pound the  warning  of  God  by  the  wise  man  in  Prov.  xxiv. : 
11,  12  : “If  thou  forbear  to  deliver  them  that  are  drawn  unto 
death,  and  those  that  are  ready  to  be  slain ; if  thou  sayest, 
Behold,  we  knew  it  not,  doth  not  he  that  pondereth  the  heart 
consider  it  ? and  he  that  keepeth  thy  soul  doth  he  not  know 
it  ? and  shall  he  not  render  to  every  man  according  to  his 
works  ?”  Did  not  the  great  conflict  really  begin  years  ago  in 
the-  nation’s  timidly  yielding  to  the  arrogant  and  unjust  de- 
mands of  a State  to  drive  away  the  missionaries  from  laboring 
among  the  Indians  ? Did  not  a just  and  sleepless  Providence 
order  the  bloodiest  and  most  protracted  of  our  fraternal  strug- 
gles to  take  place  around  Chattanooga  and  Lookout  Moun- 
tain, Chickamauga  and  Missionary  'Midge,  localities  of  this 
flagrant  but  almost  forgotten  wrong  ? The  wounded  and  dying 
soldiers  of  either  side  were  sheltered  and  nursed  in  the  very 
church  and  dwellings  built,  more  than  a generation  ago,  by 
the  exiled  and  imprisoned  missionaries.  Was  not  the  finger 
of  God  in  this,  and  should  we  not  be  instructed  and  warned 
by  it? 

Besides,  was  not  the  great  struggle,  substantially,  respect- 
ing a people  from  whom,  if  the  Church  had  been  faithful  to 
her  great  trust,  multitudes  might  have  been  educated  and  sent 
to  enlighten  and  evangelize  the  dark  millions  of  Africa — the 
home  of  their  ancestors,  and,  we  trust,  the  ultimate  destina- 
tion of  themselves  and  their  children. 

Ten  thousand  millions  of  treasure  expended  or  destroyed  ; 


TO  EVANGELIZE  THE  WOULD. 


9 


a million  of  our  young  men  slain  or  disabled  ; a nation  filled 
with  affliction  and  sorrow,  and  burdened  with  debt,  are  the 
visitations  of  God  for  living  too  much  for  ourselves , and  far 
too  little  for  Him  who  died  for  us  and  rose  again.  Ten  thous- 
and millions  of  treasure  and  a million  of  men  ! More  than 
the  Church  has  expended  for  the  conversion  of  the  world  in  a 
thousand  years  ! Full  enough,  under  God’s  promised  bless- 
ing, to  send  in  a single  generation  the  Gospel  to  every  human 
heart  and  habitation  on  the  globe  ! May  this  great  discipline 
lead  us  to  look,  not  every  one  on  his  own,  but  every  man  on 
the  things  of  others  ! May  it  impel  the  compassionate  inquiry, 
How  can  they  hear  without  a preacher  ? how  can  they  preach 
except  they  be  sent  ? May  the  cry  of  the  Apostle  become  the 
Litany  of  the  Church  : “ Woe  is  me  if  I preach  not  the  Gospel !” 

Is  there  not  danger,  imminent  danger,  unless  we  repent  and 
do  our  first  works,  that  the  Lord’s  controversy  with  the 
Church  and  nation  will  continue,  leaving  us  to  waste  our 
strength  in  mutual  criminations  and  controversies,  until  with 
one  heart  we  come  to  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty 
in  the  conquest  of  the  world  ? 

Is  it  any  wouder,  with  such  immense  resources  of  men  and 
means  and  opportunities,  when  so  little  is  done  by  the  Church 
to  fulfil  the  great  commission,  that  her  enemies  tauntingly  de- 
clare her  missionary  efforts  a failure,  and  even  some  of  her 
own  children  suggest  the  wisdom  of  abandoning  them?  Woe 

©o  © 

to  Zion,  and  woe  to  our  branch  of  it,  when,  from  any  cause, 
even  from  the  pressure  of  boundless  wants  at  home,  we  with- 
draw our  compassions  from  these  peiishing  hundreds  of  mil- 
lions, either  by  recalling  the  few  and  feeble  laborers  already 
in  the  field,  or  by  failing  to  suitably  reinforce  them.  If  this 
calamity  and  guilt  should  come,  then  the  glory  will  soon  go 
up  from  our  temples  at  home,  and  the  fire  of  God  die  out  on 
our  altars.  Then  God,  as  upon  Israel  in  the  days  of  the 
Apostle,  will  denounce  and  execute  upon  us  the  greater  ex- 
communication  ! 

Let  us  not  despond  at  the  greatness  of  the  work,  nor  at  the 


10 


THE  DUTY  OF  THE  CHURCH 


vast  difficulties  surrounding  it,  nor  at  tlie  slow  and  feeble 
progress  made,  nor  at  the  little  apparent  interest  manifested 
in  its  success,  but  let  us  rather  consider  and  improve  the 
means  for  its  speedy  accomplishment. 

Among  these,  the  Piety  of  the  Church  must  not  be  over- 
looked. There  must  be  realized  a deeper  love,  everywhere 
and  always  for  Christ ; a profounder  sense  of  obligation  to 
live  for  his  glory ; a constant  and  growing  compassion  for  lost 
men ; a practical  belief  in  the  guilt  and  condemnation  of  the 
heathen ; of  the  Gospel  as  their  only  help  and  hope,  of  the 
Church’s  supreme  duty  to  consecrate  herself,  her  sons  and  her 
substance  to  their  evangelization — confidence  in  the  means 
divinely  appointed  for  the  salvation  of  the  world,  especially 
the  preaching  of  the  Cross ; a holy  vigor  in  the  work,  making 
it  her  meat  and  drink,  her  life  and  joy ; and  a full  assurance  of 
His  gracious  and  almighty  presence  with  her,  always  and 
everywhere,  when  engaged  in  this  work. 

The  piety  of  the  Church  may  be  measured  by  the  spirit  of 
missions  within  her.  She  is,  indeed,  by  her  very  organization, 
a Missionary  Society,  intended  to  be  chiefly  engaged  in  mis- 
sionary labor.  Her  commission  reads,  “ Go  ye  into  all  the 
world  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.”  Every  effort 
she  makes  must  bend  to  this  great  command.  She  must  oc- 
cupy this  as  her  normal  state  and  work.  She  is  an  army,  and 
the  chief  object  of  an  army  is,  not  to  fortify,  but  to  fight,  and 
these  are  her  “ marching  orders.”  Every  service  must  aim  at 
extensioji  and  final  triumph.  Her  closets  and  congregations, 
her  sermons  and  sacraments,  and  Sabbaths  and  Scriptures, 
her  ministers  and  her  members,  her  old  men  and  maidens  and 
children,  must  all  be  filled  with  the  love  of  Christ,  constrain- 
ing them  as  the  wind  the  wave,  the  sail  the  ship,  as  the 
warmth  of  Spring  impels  the  leaf  to  open,  the  bud  to  blossom 
and  the  fruit  to  fill.  The  Church  must  realize  that  she  is 
called  and  gathered  just  to  support  and  assist  and  carry  on 
this  work  of  works.  When  every  private  member,  rich  or 
poor,  learned  or  unlearned,  young  or  old,  seeks  and  finds 


TO  EVANGELIZE  THE  WORLD. 


11 


something  to  do  for  Missions ; when  the  Church  shall 
read  aright  the  command  to  “ Go,"  and  thus  reading  shall 
obey,  then  the  isles  will  begin  to  wait  for  his  law,  and  Ethio- 
pia stretch  out  her  hands  unto  God. 

The  Church  must  lie  educated  to  regard  it  as  the  duty  and 
privilege  of  every  member,  and  every  child  at  her  firesides,  or 
in  her  Sabbath-schools,  to  give  to  this  cause  systematically  and 
scripturally,  “on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  as  the  Lord  hath 
prospered.”  To  set  apart  on  the  Sabbath,  the  day  that  com- 
memorates the  resurrection  of  Christ,  as  an  act  of  love  and 
loyalty  to  Him,  and  expressive  of  unshaken  confidence  in  Ilis 
final  and  universal  triumph  over  the  world.  In  this  way,  the 
vast  means  now  expended  for  personal,  and  sometimes  selfish 
gratifications,  will  be  restored  to  their  true  channel — the  bet- 
terment of  the  race,  and  the  glory  of  her  God  and  King. 

This  giving  and  practical  compassion,  will  work  wonders  in 
the  Church.  The  rich  and  poor,  according  to  their  several 
“ abilities,”  contributing  systematically  and  scripturally,  every 
Sabbath,  like  the  thousand  rills  from  the  mountain’s  side, 
will,  uniting,  form  that  river,  “ the  streams  whereof  shall  make 
glad  the  city  of  God.”  This  training  of  the  young,  will  prove  a 
blessed  means  to  bring  them  to  Jesus,  and  lead  them  to  self- 
denying  devotion  to  His  cause.  Already  no  small  part  of  the 
support  of  this  Board  comes  from  tender  hearts  and  tiny 
hands.  Into  its  Treasury  the  other  day  came  the  contribution 
of  a poor,  little,  half-clad,  orphan  child,  some  five  years  old. 
The  largeness  of  the  gift,  in  view  of  the  childhood  and  pov- 
erty of  the  giver,  excited  inquiry,  and  it  was  found,  that, 
moved  with  pity  for  the  heathen,  she  had  devoted  the  entire 
earnings  of  a day  per  week,  and  these  fourteen  pennies  were 
the  wages  for  watching  the  infants  of  some  poor  washerwomen, 
whilst  their  mothers  were  absent  at  work.  A poor  little 
orphan  child,  watching  these  infants  the  weary,  winter  day, 
to  procure  means  for  the  conversion  of  the  world,  and  the 
glory  of  Jesus  ! What  a heroic  example  to  the  Church  of 
Christ ! This  child  is  surely  a spiritual  descendant  of  the 


12 


THE  DUTY  OF  THE  CHURCH 


widow  of  old,  who  gave  “ of  her  penury  all  her  living,”  and 
He  who  once  sat,  and  still  sits,  “ over  against  the  Treasury, 
beholding  how  the  people  cast  in  their  money,”  beheld  her, 
no  doubt,  with  smiles  of  approbation. 

This  praying,  preaching,  working,  giving,  the  Church  must 
be  excited  to  prize  and  employ.  A compassionate  ministry, 
and  scripturally  instructed  people,  under  the  blessing  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  can  multiply  these  men  and  means  indefinitely. 
She  must  learn  that  He  who  taught  her  to  pray,  taught  her 
to  pray  for  His  glory  and  the  coming  of  His  kingdom,  before 
daily  bread,  or  daily  sins,  or  daily  temptations  and  dangers, 
and  that  the  order  of  importance,  in  His  mind,  should  be  the 
order  in  her  own. 

Missionary  Intelligence  must  be  extended  and  brought  into 
contact  with  the  minds  and  consciences  of  the  people  of  God, 
and  especially  in  our  schools — Sabbath  and  day — and  colleges 
and  seminaries.  The  conviction  must  be  wrought  of  the  sad 
estate,  and  guilty  and  perishing  condition  of  the  heathen,  and 
our  responsibility  for  their  rescue.  That  “ we  whose  souls 
are  lighted  with  wisdom  from  on  high,”  cannot  leave  these 
benighted  ones  to  perish,  without  great  blood-guiltiness. 

The  guilt  of  Christians  must  be  shown  in  the  unequal  dis- 
tribution of  the  laborers,  keeping,  sometimes  five  or  ten 
ministers  laboring  in  towns  or  villages  of  a few  hundred  or 
thousand  inhabitants,  representing  differences  of  doctrine  or 
order,  that  do  not  touch  the  fundamentals  of  religion — 
wasting  their  strength,  and  sometimes  injuring  the  Gospel 
by  mutual  contentions,  whilst  thousands  of  cities,  with  tens 
and  hundreds  of  thousands  of  people,  nay,  whole  states  and 
almost  empires  have  not  a solitary  preacher  to  tell  them  of 
the  being  and  grace  of  God,  as  revealed  in  the  Gospel  of  His 
dear  Son ! Why,  this  city  alone  has  more  ministers  than 
China,  Thibet,  Tartary,  Japan,  with  their  six  hundred 
millions!  The  Church  must  be  made  to  realize  and  rectify 
this  wrong.  Such  a state  of  inequality  the  Saviour  of  men 
cannot  be  expected  to  tolerate,  and  as  he  allowed  the  bolts  of 


TO  EVANGELIZE  TIIE  WORLD. 


13 

persecution  to  scatter  the  disciples  from  Jerusalem  and  send 
them  “ everywhere,  preaching  the  word,”  so  may  He  not 
be  provoked  by  our  selfishness,  to  drive  us  away  from  our 
pleasant  land  and  homes,  and  churches,  so  that  “ the  wilder- 
ness and  solitary  places  may  be  glad  for  us,  and  the  desert 
blossom  as  the  rose.”  The  eagle  thus  breaks  up  her  nest  amid 
the  rocks,  to  compel  her  young  to  fly  and  work.  Providence 
thus  sent  the  tent-makers,  Aquilla  and  Priscilla  driven  from 
Home  to  Corinth,  and  Ephesus  to  comfort  Paul  and  counsel 
and  co  work  with  Apollos. 

The  Gospel,  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  is  the  divinely 
appointed  means  to  transform  the  race,  and  to  translate  it 
from  darkuess  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan,  into  the 
kingdom  of  God’s  dear  Son.  The  only  voice  to  reach  the  nations 
— wandering  like  the  demoniac  amongst  the  tombs,  and  to 
evoke  the  evil  spirit,  and  bring  them  to  sit  at  the  feet  of 
“ Jesus,  clothed  and  in  their  right  mind.”  It  is  the  true 
and  only  Sesame,  at  the  sound  of  which,  the  heart’s  doors 
open. 

The  Moravian  Missionaries  found  it  so,  after  laboring  for 
years,  painfully,  but  in  vain,  to  educate  the  Greenlanders  in 
morality,  and  thus  prepare  them  for  the  Gospel.  Brother 
Beck  one  day  was  reading  with  much  tenderness,  the  agony 
in  the  garden  and  on  the  cross,  as  recorded  by  Matthew,  when 
Kayamak,  a savage  chief,  said,  “ Read  that  again,  for  I too 
wish  to  be  saved.”  The  Cross  is  the  power  of  God  to  sal- 
vation ! 

Dr.  Nelson,  once  a furious  infidel,  afterwards  a successful 
Evangelist,  often  traversed  the  Indian  country,  as  surgeon  to 
the  army  of  Gen.  Jackson,  in  the  Cherokee  and  Creek  wars ; 
some  years  after,  returning  on  the  Cherokee  war-path,  he  was 
surprised  to  find  in  the  wilderness,  a pretty  cabin,  a little  farm 
neatly  fenced,  with  many  other  marks  of  civilization  and  com- 
fort. From  among  the  tall  green-corn,  he  heard  the  voice  of  In- 
dian singing.  In  answer  to  his  inquiry,  his  guide  and  interpreter 
said  the  Induui  “ was  singing  about  some  one’s  dying  on  a 


14 


THE  DUTY  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


tree.”  Tlie  missionary  had  been  there  ! The  cabin,  the  corn- 
field, the  quiet,  the  comfort — all  came  from  the  Cross  of 
Christ ! The  Cherokee  warrior,  once  revelling  in  blood,  but 
now  converted,  was  singing  in  his  own  language,  the  wonder- 
ful love  of  God,  as  described  by  Watts  in  that  immortal  hymn, 

“ Was  it  for  crimes  that  I had  done, 

He  groan’d  upon  the  tree  ? 

Amazing  pity,  grace  unknown, 

And  love  beyond  degree.” 

The  Gospel  is  the  key  of  the  house  of  David,  with  which 
to  open  the  sad  hearts  of  men.  With  it,  let  the  Church  arise 
and  open  the  prison-doors  of  the  nations  ! 

Will  this  work  ever  be  accomplished  ? 

Tim  predictions  and  promises  of  God’s  Word,  assuring  the 
final  triumphs  of  the  Gospel,  began  to  be  disclosed  before  the 
expulsion  from  Eden,  and  through  all  the  Scriptures,  by  pro- 
phets and  apostles,  priests  and  kings,  in  song  and  symbol,  in 
covenant  and  sacrament,  these  glorious  triumphs  are  portrayed. 
“The  seed  of  the  woman  was  to  bruise  the  serpent’s  head.” 
The  dying  Jacob,  foretold  the  coming  of  “ the  Shiloh,  to  whom 
the  gathering  of  the  peoples  should  be.” 

To  Moses  it  was  said,  “ As  surely  as  I live,”  saith  Jehovah, 
“all  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  glory  of  the  Lord.”  By 
David,  “The  heathen  shall  be  given  to  Him  for  an  inheritance, 
and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  His  possession. 
All  kings  shall  fall  down  before  Him,  and  all  nations  shall 
serve  Him.”  By  Daniel,  “ The  kingdom  and  the  greatness  of 
the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the 
people  of  the  saints  of  the  most  high  God.”  By  John,  “The 
kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  become  the  kingdoms  of  our 
Lord  and  his  Christ.”  That  “Satan  shall  be  bound  with  a 
great  chain,  and  cast  into  the  bottomless-pit,  for  a thousand 
years,  that  he  may  no  more  deceive  the  nations.”  And  saints 
of  martyr  power  and  spirit,  shall  live  and  reign  with  Christ 
through  those  wondrous  years.  This  glorious  scheme  of  mil- 
lennial promise,  extends  through  the  entire  Scriptures.  Before 


TO  EVANGELIZE  THE  WORLD. 


15 


these  thousand  years  begin,  we  are  warned  by  Daniel,  Paul 
and  John,  that  a large  part  of  the  visible  church  shall  be  over- 
come by  the  Man  of  Sin — that  vast  apostacies  shall  occur,  by 
which  the  true  Church  shall  be  oppressed  for  1,260  years — 
that  her  struggle,  through  this  long,  sad  period,  shall  be  for 
existence,  rather  than  extension — that  at  the  close  of  the  1,260 
years,  the  powers  of  darkness,  represented  by  the  Beast  that 
ascended  from  the  bottomless-pit,  shall  for  a little  season,  seem 
to  prevail — the  witnesses  testifying  in  sackcloth  and  sorrow 
shall  be  slain — the  public  testimony  of  the  Church  suppres- 
sed— that  great  commotions  shall  be  stirred,  in  which,  and  by 
which,  the  kings  of  the  Roman  earth,  and  of  the  whole  world, 
shall  be  gathered — the  friends  of  light  and  darkness,  of  God 
and  Satan,  arrayed  for  the  final  and  dreadful  conflict,  styled 
the  Battle  or  War,  of  the  Great  Day  of  God  Almighty,  in 
which,  the  Beast  and  the  False  Prophet  are  to  be  slain,  and, 
in  some  way  or  other,  out  of  which,  like  a resurrection  from 
the  dead,  God's  ancient  and  covenant,  yet  scattered  Israel, 
will  be  restored  and  converted,  and  the  Gospel  preached  to  all 
nations.  This  war  is  described  by  Christ  as  the  “ distress  of 
nations,  with  perplexity,  men's  hearts  failing  them  for  fear,  and 
for  looking  after  those  things  that  are  coming  on  the  earth,  for 
the  powers  of  heaven  shall  be  shaken.”  By  the  Psalmist ; as 
“the  heathen  raging  and  people  imagining  a vain  thing,  or  as- 
sembling in  tumults.  The  kings  of  the  earth  setting  themselves 
in  array,  and  the  rulers  conspiring  together  against  Jehovah 
and  His  Anointed,  or  Christ.”  The  close  of  these  1,260  years 
of  Zion’s  sorrow  is  at  hand.  Great  convulsions  in  the 
Church,  and  among  the  nations,  extending  through  the  lifetime 
of  a generation,  are  to  characterize  the  suppression  of  this 
testimony  of  sackcloth  and  sorrow.  In  the  midst  of  this 
prediction,  the  Lord  Jesus  cries,  “Behold,  I come  as  a thief! 
Blessed  is  he  who  watcheth,  and  keepeth  his  garments,  lest  he 
walk  naked,  and  they  see  his  shame.” 

Forewarned  by  prophecy,  of  these  tribulations  of  their  dread- 
ful character,  yet  short  continuance,  and  glorious  results,  let 


16 


THE  DUTY  OF  THE  CHURCH 


the  Church  arise  from  her  slumbers,  and  gird  herself  for  her 
work  and  warfare.  Like  Daniel  in  the  captivity  at  Babylon, 
“ understanding  from  books  that  the  number  of  the  years”  ap- 
pointed for  the  Church’s  oppression  by  Anti  - Christ,  is 
nearly  ended,  let  her  come  forth  by  fasting  and  prayer,  to 
guide  the  bewildered  nations  in  their  return  to  God.  These 
“ Scriptures  were  written  for  our  learning,  on  whom  these 
ends  of  the  earth  have  come,  that  we,  through  their  patience 
and  comfort,  might  have  hope.” 

These  great  changes  are  represented  as  levelling  mountains 
and  filling  up  valleys,  that  a highway  may  be  prepared  for  the 
ransomed  of  the  Lord  to  walk  on — that  is,  the  removal  of  all 
obstacles  to  the  evangelization  of  the  world.  Let  the  Church 
arise ! It  is  promised  that  her  feet  shall  appear  “ beautiful 
upon  the  mountains,”  bringing  these  glad  tidings  of  good 
things. 

These  great  changes  have  already  begun!  The  barriers 
which  divided  the  nations  are  falling — the  brotherhood  of  men 
is  beginning  to  be  felt  and  acknowledged — that  God  “ made 
of  one  blood  all  nations  of  men  for  to  dwell  on  all  the  face  of 
the  earth  ” — and  to  keep  us  in  daily  and  perpetual  remem- 
brance of  this,  our  wants  and  our  comforts  are  supplied  by 
the  productions  and  toil  of  the  most  distant  Papal  and  Pagan 
peoples.  The  tea  and  coffee  that  daily  refresh  us,  the  per- 
fumes and  spices  and  medicine,  the  costly  silks  and  fabrics  of 
Orient,  the  shawls  from  the  looms  of  Cashmere  and  Afghan- 
istan, the  gums  and  gems  from  India  and  the  land  of  Ishmael, 
and  the  very  pestilences  too,  that  afflict  and  appal  Christen- 
dom, remind  us  of  the  kindred,  and  implore  us  to  send  them 
the  health  and  healing  of  the  Gospel.  God  evidently  intends 
them  to  accomplish  this  mission,  and  thus  to  pour  upon  the 
Christian’s  ear  daily  the  cry  of  a thousand  Macedons.  We 
ought,  as  Paul  from  the  vision,  to  assuredly  gather  that  the 
Lord  hath  called  us  to  preach  the  Gospel  unto  the  many  lands 
from  whence  they  come. 

Besides,  the  decline  and  decay  of  the  great  superstitions  in 


TO  EVANGELIZE  THE  WOULD. 


17 


lliese  lands,  ought  to  quicken  the  hopes  and  encourage  the 
labors  ot‘  God’s  people.  Brahma  and  Buddh,  whose  panthe- 
istic systems  have  for  more  than  a hundred  generations,  held 
in  bondage  half  the  human  race,  are  losing  the  confidence  of 
their  multitudinous  worshippers — Gunga  and  Vishnu  no  longer 
attract,  as  formerly,  such  countless  pilgrims  to  their  shrines 
and  melas,  and  the  wheels  of  Jugganath  have  ceased  to  crush 
his  myriads  of  victims.  That  strange  foreboding  in  the  minds 
of  men  which  always  precedes  and  prepares  the  way  for  great 
revolutions — the  forerunners  of  change  and  overthrow  of  the 
past,  are  now  penetrating  the  hearts  of  Mohammedan,  and 
Papal  and  Pagan  nations.  The  voices,  such  as  were  heard 
before  the  overthrow  of  Jerusalem — like  the  sighings  of  the 
sea  before  the  storm,  or  the  moanings  of  the  earth  before  the 
earthquake — such  premonitory  voices,  are  heard  amidst  the 
gorgeous  temples  and  altars,  of  these  various  and  venerable 
superstitions.  Every  fear  and  foreboding  they  feel,  every  voice 
they  hear,  are  to  us,  intended  to  be  tones  of  cheer  and  com- 
fort. 

The  desire  for  the  Scriptures,  and  the  constantly  growing 
opportunities  for  their  circulation,  call  to  gratitude  and  labor. 
The  translation  and  printing  the  Arabic  Scriptures  in  this 
city,  in  the  sacred  language  of  a hundred  millions  of  the  race, 
and  they  largely  the  descendants  of  Abraham’s  eldest  son,  are 
signs  of  promise  in  these  wondrous  times.  The  diminished 
time  and  space  between  countries  and  continents ; and  the 
vastly  increased  intercourse  of  Christian  nations — especially 
of  our  own — with  the  older  and  larger  families  of  the  race  ; 
the  vast  culture  and  knowledge  that  many  of  them  possess — 
the  influence  and  intelligence  of  their  learned  men,  priests  and 
statesmen — their  interest  in  our  science  and  civilization — and, 
if  converted,  their  ability  to  overthrow  the  superstitions  of 
their  countrymen,  and  guide  them  to  the  Gospel — their  skill 
and  energy  illustrated  by  their  vast  works,  their  temples, 
their  pagodas,  their  canals,  their  manufactures,  their  cities — 
why,  the  wall  of  China  alone,  it  is  supposed,  contains  more 
2 


18 


THE  DUTY  OF  THE  CHURCH 


material,  and  required  more  labor,  than  all  the  habitations  in 
England  or  this  country ! How  the  Bible  will  yet  sweeten 
such  toil,  and  sanctity  such  skill  and  energy,  and  direct  them 
to  the  culture  and  comfort  of  the  race. 

God’s  ordinary  way  of  spreading  the  Gospel,  has  been  by 
converting  devotees  from  the  corrupt  or  false  religions.  The 
apostles  themselves  were  converted  from  Judaism,  that  they 
might  better  overthrow  it,  and  “multitudes  of  the  priests” 
became  obedient  to  the  faith  and  missionaries  to  the  Gentiles. 
Heathen  priests  and  lawyers  and  philosophers  and  poets  be- 
came the  early  Apologists  for  Christianity,  and  Luther  and 
Calvin,  and  Cranmer  and  Knox,  and  a thousand  other  heroes, 
were  trained  by  the  Papacy,  and  turned  from  it  by  God,  for 
its  overthrow.  And  why  may  not  we  hopefully  labor  for  the 
conversion  of  Brahmin,  and  Lama,  and  Moolah,  and  Pundit, 
and  Parsee,  and  Priest,  so  that  they  may  turn  many  to  right- 
eousness. 

Thus  commerce,  and  travel,  and  science,  and  civilization, 
are  all  handmaids  of  the  Church,  to  assist  in  turning  the  world 
to  God.  The  great  movements  of  the  nations  are  towards 
Zion,  God’s  hill  of  sunshine — and  though  these  journeys 
through  the  wilderness  may  be  long  and  weary,  yet  they  will 
be  accomplished,  and  the  nations  will  yet  dwell  around  this 
mount  of  God,  where  nothing  shall  hurt  or  destroy. 

The  great  calls  and  wonderful  responses  to  benevolent  effort 
in  behalf  of  the  wounded  and  sick  of  our  soldiers,  and  prison- 
ers, and  refugees,  and  the  suffering  from  the  war  were  intend- 
ed by  God,  no  doubt,  to  break  up  the  fallow  ground  of  our 
selfishness,  that  God’s  people  might  no  longer  sow  among 
thorns.  The  world  never  witnessed  such  sublime,  personal 
and  pecuniary  efforts,  to  relieve  human  suffering.  The  Church 
should  avail  of  this  strong  heart-flood,  to  continue  and  enlarge, 
and  direct  it,  to  relieve  the  weeping  and  wounded,  and  perish- 
ing in  sin.  Thousands  have  begun  to  pity  and  to  give,  who 
never  did  before.  Let  their  eyes  be  directed  beyond  the  suf 


TO  EVANGELIZE  THE  WORLD. 


19 


ferings  of  the  body,  to  the  deeper  and  more  dreadful  diseases 
and  dangers  of  the  soul. 

Another  motive  to  hopeful  exertion,  is,  the  blessed  and 
wide-spread  revivals  of  religion  of  the  last  few  months.  They 
almost  without  exception,  began  in  connection  with  the 
“Week  of  Prayer” — the  universal  concert  for  the  world’s  con- 
version— indicating  the  law  of  the  divine  kingdom,  that  com- 
passion for  others,  brings  blessings  on  ourselves.  Indeed  the 
great  missionary  enterprises  rise  or  fall,  extend  or  contract,  as 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  given  or  withheld  from  the  Churches.  Re- 
vivals make  missionaries,  and  advance  missions.  They  must 
be  improved,  by  turning  these  new  converts  and  revived 
congregations  to  enlarged  labor  for  Christ.  A renewed  soul, 
and  revived  Church,  are  like  clay  ready  to  receive  any  form 
of  utility  or  beauty,  and  let  us  see  to  it,  that  these  be  made 
vessels  for  honor  and  glory. 

Besides,  these  universal  concerts,  so  recently  begun,  and  now 
so  widely  observed,  and  these  gracious  outpourings  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  connection  with  them,  are  harbingers  of  the  latter 
days,  reminding  us  of  the  promises,  “ when  they  call  I will 
answer,”  “ I will  pour  water  upon  the  thirsty,  and  floods 
upon  the  dry  ground  ; I will  pour  my  spirit  upon  thy  seed, 
and  my  blessing  upon  thine  offspring  : and  they  shall  spring 
up  as  among  the  grass,  and  as  willows  by  the  water  courses.” 
As  the  freshness  and  fragrance  of  the  winds  assured  Colum- 
bus  of  these  to  him  yet  unseen  shores,  so,  by  these  precious 
seasons  of  refreshing  and  revival,  the  Church  may  know  and 
rejoice  at  her  drawing  nigh  to  the  Thousand  years  of  song  and 
sunshine. 

The  favor  of  God,  as  seen  in  the  Progress  already  made,  is 
a theme  for  thanksgiving  and  encouragement.  When  we  con- 
sider the  smallness  of  the  means — the  greatness  of  the  obsta- 
cles— the  islands  and  parts  of  continents  already  occupied — 
the  languages  of  savage  peoples  reduced  to  writing — the  trans- 
lation and  printing  of  the  Scriptures  in  all  the  great  languages, 
and  many  dialects  — the  stations  already  planted  — the 


20 


THE  DUTY  OF  THE  CHURCH 


churches  organized  and  members  added  — the  schools  and 
seminaries  opened,  and  scholars  gathered — the  general  good 
character  of  the  converts — the  native  ministry  forming,  and 
willingness  of  the  people,  as  far  as  able,  to  support  it — the 
immense  preparatory  work  accomplished — the  great  convic- 
tion largely  wrought  in  the  minds  of  the  heathen,  of  the 
excellency  of  our  religion  and  the  insufficiency  of  their  own — 
the  growing  intelligence  at  home,  respecting  Pagan,  Moham- 
medan and  Papal  populations  and  countries — the  necessity  of 
their  evangelization — the  disposition  of  God’s  people  to  meet 
their  responsibility,  and  the  enlarged  prayerfulness,  compas- 
sion and  benevolence  ; — when  we  consider  either,  or  all  of 
these  things,  we  cannot  but  thank  God  and  take  courage. 
To  such  an  one  as  our  venerable  secretary,  the  retrospect  must 
be  full  of  hope.  Surveying  the  great  horizon  of  thirty  years’ 
connection  with  the  Board,  pausing  to  contemplate  more  ten- 
derly the  shores  and  seas  of  China,  where  the  remains  of  two 
sainted  sons  repose,  and  recounting  the  changes  and  progress 
at  home  and  abroad,  effected  by  this  work  of  Missions — with 
soul  swelling  as  the  soul  of  Moses  on  Pisgali,  may  he  not 
exclaim,  “ What  hath  God  wrought ! This  work  of  missions 
is  the  work  of  God  ! ” 

This  is  our  final  comfort  and  encouragement : 

O 

It  is  the  work  of  God,  the  chosen  work  of  God  ! For  the 
wonders  of  Creation,  the  process  of  Providence  and  Plan  of 
Redemption,  all  point  to  the  same  glorious  end  ; the  crowning 
of  the  Redeemer  Lord  of  all — “ to  bring  every  knee  to  bow, 
and  every  tongue  confess  the  name  of  Jesus  to  the  glory  of 
God  the  Father  ! ” Councils  and  covenants,  predictions  and 
promises,  terminate  in  this  ; the  means  are  all  ordained  as  well 
as  the  end ; and  spring  answers  to  spring,  and  wheel  works 
within  wheel,  for  its  consummation.  The  sleepless  eyes,  the 
unwearying  skill  and  unforgetting  love  of  Jehovah  - Jesus, 
superintend  all  operations.  lie  himself  hath  said,  “A  woman 
may  forget  her  sucking  child,  that  she  should  not  have  com- 
passion on  the  son  of  her  womb ; yea,  they  may  forget,  yet 


TO  EVANGELIZE  THE  WORLD. 


21 


will  I not  forget  thee.  Behold,  I have  graven  thee  upon  the 
palms  of  my  hands;  thy  walls  are  continually  before  me.” 
The  plans  and  specifications  of  this  great  work,  this  work  of 
the  Ages,  have  not  been  trusted  to  papyrus  or  parchment,  but 
are  graven  upon  the  palms  of  the  hands  of  the  great  Founder 
and  Builder,  and  thus  her  ruined,  or  her  rising  walls,  are  always 
before  his  eye.  From  the  far  away  quarries  of  China  and 
Siam,  and  Burundi,  and  India,  and  all  Asia,  and  all  islands 
and  continents,  “ living  stones,”  will  yet  be  hewn  and  brought 
to  complete  this  temple,  at  whose  commencement  the  sous  of 
God  sang  for  joy,  and  the  head  or  capstone  of  which,  shall  be 
brought  forth  with  universal  shoutings  of,  “ Grace,  grace, 
glory,  glory  ! ” • 

It  will  be  finished  ! All  power  in  heaven  and  upon  earth, 
for  this  enterprise,  is  put  into  the  hands  that  were  once  nailed 
to  the  cross.  The  mediatorial  crown  is  upon  the  brow  of 
Him,  who  once  for  it,  was  crowned  with  thorns — its  affairs 
are  dear  to  that  heart  which,  for  its  success,  was  once  exceed- 
ing sorrowful  even  unto  death,  and  for  it,  was  pierced  by  the 
Roman’s  coward  spear,  and  purchased  it  with  his  own  blood. 

May  thy  kingdom  come,  blessed  Jesus ! for  Thine  is  the 
Kingdom,  and  the  Power,  and  the  Glory,  for  ever  and  ever  ! 
Amen  ! and  Amen  ! 


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